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Oakland General Strike - November 2, 2011!

I just returned from downtown Oakland. The turnout at the general assembly was overwhelming. The GA was held in the amphitheater of Oscar Grant Plaza.

The entire "seating" area was packed from side to side. The depressed area between it and the stage was packed. The facilitators had to keep requesting that people move back because the stage area was packed full as was the walkway behind it and the City Hall steps.

We put a proposal to the crowd that one week from today we have a shut down and general strike in Oakland. Many concerns were raised - whether we could organize that in time, could we get workers to strike, etc. Boots Riley (of Boots and the Coup - an excellent radical rap group in Oakland) made the point that thousands of union workers are looking for some point of inspiration. Others pointed out that we have to strike when the iron is hot.

In the end, the vote on the proposal went as follows:

Yes - 1484

Abstain - 76

No - 44

If comrades want to spread this message as far and wide as possible, and launch a call for a global general strike/day of action on that date, I think it would be great.

Below is the proposal passed by the Occupy Oakland General Assembly on Wednesday October 26, 2011 in reclaimed Oscar Grant Plaza. 1607 people voted. 1484 voted in favor of the resolution, 77 abstained and 46 voted against it, passing the proposal at 96.9%. The General Assembly operates on a modified consensus process that passes proposals with 90% in favor and with abstaining votes removed from the final count.

PROPOSAL:

We as fellow occupiers of Oscar Grant Plaza propose that on Wednesday November 2, 2011, we liberate Oakland and shut down the 1%.

We propose a city wide general strike and we propose we invite all students to walk out of school. Instead of workers going to work and students going to school, the people will converge on downtown Oakland to shut down the city.

All banks and corporations should close down for the day or we will march on them.

While we are calling for a general strike, we are also calling for much more. People who organize out of their neighborhoods, schools, community organizations, affinity groups, workplaces and families are encouraged to self organize in a way that allows them to participate in shutting down the city in whatever manner they are comfortable with and capable of.

The whole world is watching Oakland. Let’s show them what is possible.

The Strike Coordinating Council will begin meeting everyday at 5pm in Oscar Grant Plaza before the daily General Assembly at 7pm. All strike participants are invited. Stay tuned for much more information and see you next Wednesday.